SEIXAL, PORTUGAL – SEPTEMBER 28: Nicola Docherty of Rangers during the UEFA Women´s Champions League Second Qualifying Round Second Leg match between SL Benfica and Rangers at Benfica Campus on September 28, 2022 in Seixal, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Women’s soccer has grown gradually year after year, but the season 2022-23 in Scotland felt like a game changer for sure.
There were so many positives and records being broken for women’s soccer in Scotland during the season. These have definitely helped to take the game forward, widening and extending the profile and attracting increasing interest across the media. Importantly it has attracted fans of all ages and genders and motivated potential future players too.
Competition between the clubs has been very strong this season. The three main trophies at the top level for women, the Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) title, the League Cup and the Scottish Cup were each won by different sides. Although, like in the men’s game, Glasgow remains very much a stronghold.
Glasgow City took the SWPL title in a nail-biting roller-coaster end to the season. The final round of matches for the season saw City, Rangers and Celtic all in contention to be champions. That included a huge clash between City and Rangers, while Celtic played Hearts.
It wasn’t all decided until the final minute of injury time, in the final match of the season. A very late goal from City beat Rangers and with a potential equalizer chalked off for Rangers immediately after, it meant City had won the match and the title.
While Rangers beat Hibernian 2-0 in the League Cup final in December 2022, they weren’t able to repeat their success in the Scottish Cup. On May 28 the Scottish Cup final was played for the first time at the national stadium, Hampden in front of a record crowd of 10,446, with Celtic beating Rangers 2-0.
